Lighting fixture



Nov. 15, 1949 I T 2,488,012

LIGHTING FIXTURE 7 Filed Feb. 17, 1 947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 15,1949 E.F. GUTH 2,488,012

LIGHTING FIXTURE 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1947 Patented Nov.15,1949

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,488,012 LIGHTING FIXTURE Edwin F. Guth,Florissant, Mo. Application February 17, 1947, Serial No. 728,975 6Claims. (01. 240-5111) This invention relates to lighting fixtures andmore particularly to lighting fixtures for fluorescent lamps.

Among the object of this invention are the provision of an improvedlightin fixture which is easy to maintain and to clean; the provision ofa lighting fixture the parts of which are more resistant to breakage intransit; the provision of a lighting fixture which decreases accidentsduring maintenance operations; and the provision of a lighting fixtureof an attractive appearance which is of simple construction and isinexpensive to manufacture. Other objects will be in part apparent andin part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will beindicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a fixture constructed in accordance withthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation viewed from the righthand end of Fig. 1,being partly sectioned on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a difiusing panel;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to the sectional part of Fig. 2,but on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing some of the parts inalternative position; and,

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, numeral indicates a lamp supportcomprising an outer case, channel or top housing which supports theusual electrical starter apparatus indicated generally at 3. Case I hasend walls 5 and. side walls 1. The end walls are formed with downwardlyconvergent dihedral lower edges. Sockets 9 at either end removablysupport tubular fluorescent lamps I Attached to end walls 5 adjacenttheir apexes at a median line on their lower edges are channel-shapedsupport stops I3. The end walls 5 are bent over along their lower edgesto form stop flanges I5. Stops I3 act as panel supports and cooperatewith flanges l5 to position light diffusing and light transmittingpanels I! in a dihedral relationship, supporting the panels by theirinner corners. The panels are preferably constructed of glass orplastic. Along one edge I!) of panels I! are metal reinforcing strips2|. Strips 2| are formed as channels with the top bent back to formwings 23 (see Figs. 4-6). Wings 23 do not extend the entire length ofsupporting channel 2| but terminate adjacent to reinforcing andsupporting channels 25 along either side of panels l1. Channels 2| and25 are cemented to panels I! in any of the customary manners. One end 21of channels 25 is bent to form ears in each of which is an opening 29.Opening 29 receives one end of a hinge strap or link 3| while openings33 and 35 in side walls 1 receive the other end of strap 3|.

End 31 of hinge strap 3| is formed as a roll permanently to hold end 21while end 39 of strap 3| is formed as a square hook for easy attachmentand detachment of the panel I! assembly to or from top housing I.Opening 35 is formed sufficiently large So that end 39 of hinge strap 3|can enter or be removed therethrough. Opening 33 permits rotation ofhinge strap 3| (see Fig. 5).

The fixtures of the present invention may be easily and quicklyassembled and disassembled. Thus diffusing panels may be separated fromtop housing'l merely by slipping panel |'l out of stops l3 and liftingends 39 of hinge straps 3| out through openings 35. Assembly is easilyand quickly accomplished by reversing the proc- 'ess. This permits panelIT to be shipped separately from the rest of the fixture to minimizedanger of breakage. Such danger is further minimized by channels 2| and25 which strengthen diffusing panels I! during transportation and duringuse.

One of the important features of the present fixture is that it may beeasily and quickly cleaned without removing panels H from the fixture.Moreover, repairs may be carried out and lamps replaced without removingpanels from the fixture. This is accomplished by reason of theconstruction and operation of hinge straps 3| and cooperating mechanism.

I A cleaning operation, for example, is quickly and easily carried out.Fig. 4 shows the position of the parts when the fixture is in use. Ifnow it 'is desired to clean diffusing panel I! or otherwise service thefixture, panels I'I are moved out'of stops l3 either manually orpreferably with a simple tool such as illustrated at 4|. Essentiallytool 4| is an angle iron 40 attached to a stick 42 and with it panel l!is contacted along the median line of the fixture and moved, as shown inFig. 5, until edge l9 clears sto l3. If

panel I! is now released it will rotate to the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 5, thereby permitting easy access to panel I! itself witha cleaning device, or easy access to the interior of the fixture forrepair or replacement of parts. Since panel I1 will remain suspended,danger of dropping it is negligible and there is no need to deposit itin some place where it might be damaged or damage others.

Once the cleaning operation, etc., is finished, edge IQ of panel I! isagain grasped with tool 4| and panel I! is permitted to slide back intoplace against stops I3. During this operation channels l5 serve asguides for panels I1.

Side walls 1 are preferably cut away at 43 to receive the round end 3"!of hinge strap'3l and to permit ear 2! to lie in the same plane as sidewalls 1 when the fixture is in its Fig. 4 position. Hinge straps 3| donot project from side walls 1 far enough to be objectionable.

Side walls I need not extend clear across the fixture but it issufficient if they are large enough to support hinge straps 3|,diffusing panels I! and associated mechanism.

In View of the foregoing it will be apparent that the fixture of thepresent invention may be easily and quickly assembled or disassembledand that quick access may be had to the interior for cleaning or repair.Moreover the present fixture is attractive, easily operated andrelatively safer because diffusing panels I'1 need not be removed fromthe fixture. Moreover, diffusing panels I! may be shipped separately anddanger of breakage is substantially decreased by the presence ofchannels 2| and 25.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects oftheinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. A ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps, comprising a lamp supporthaving end walls formed with downwardly convergent dihedral lower edges,a pair of light-transmitting panels carried by the support for movementbetween a raised position wherein they extend in dihedral relationshipunder the support from one end wall to the other and a lowered positionextending downward from the support, panel supports adjacent the apexesof the end walls for supporting the panels by their inner corners insaid raised position, each panel being linked to the support by means oflinks pivotally connected at their upper and lower ends to the supportand panel respectively, whereby the panel may be moved laterally outwardfrom its raised position to clear its said corner supports and thenswung downward to its said lowered position.

2. A ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps, comprising an open-bottomedhousing having side and end walls, the latter having downwardlyconvergent dihedral lower edges, a pair of lighttransmittin panelscarried by said housing for movement between a raised position whereinthey extend in dihedral relationship under the housing closing its openbottom, and a lowered position extending generally downward from theside walls of the housing, panel corner supports adjacent the apexes ofthe end walls for supporting the panels by their inner corners in saidraised position, each panel being pivotally connected to the housing bymeans of links pivotally connected at their upper and lower ends to therespective side wall and the panel, whereby the panel may be movedlaterally outward from its raised position to clear its said cornersupports and then swung downward to its said lowered position.

3. A ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps, comprising an open-bottomedhousing having side and end walls, the latter having downwardlyconvergent dihedral lower edges, a pair of lighttransmitting panelscarried by said housing for movement between a raised position whereinthey extend in dihedral relationship under the housing closing its openbottom, and a lowered position extending generally downward from theside walls of the housing, panel corner supports adjacent the apexes ofthe end walls for suporting the panels by their inner corners in saidraised position, each panel being pivotally connected to the housing bymeans of links detach: ably pivoted at their upper ends. to the outsideof the respective side wall and pivotally connected at their lower endsto the panel, whereby the panel may be moved laterally outward from itsraised position to clear its said corner supports and then swingdownward to its said lowered position, or detached from the housing.

4. A ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps, comprising an open-bottomedhousing having side and end walls, the latter having downwardlyconvergent dihedral lower edges, a pair of lighttransmitting panelscarried by said housing for movement between a raised position whereinthey extend in dihedral relationship under the housing closing its openbottom, and a lowered position extending generally downward from theside walls of the housing, panel corner supports adjacent the apexes ofthe end walls for supporting the panels by their inner corners in saidraised position, each panel being pivotally connected to the housing bymeans of links having hooks at their upper ends detachably and pivotallyengaged in openings in the side walls from the outside of the latter andpivotally connected at their lower ends to the panel, whereby the panelmay be moved laterally outward from its raised position to clear itssaid corner supports and then swung downward to its said loweredposition, or detached from the housing.

5. A ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps, comprising an open-bottomedhousing having side and end walls, the latter having downwardlyconvergent dihedral lower edges, a pair of lighttransmitting panelscarried by said housing for movement between a raised position whereinthey extend in dihedral relationship under the housing closing its openbottom, and a lowered position extending generally downward from theside walls of the housing, each panel having reinforcing members at itsends, said members being provided with ears extending upward from theupper side of the panel, panel corner supports adjacent the apexes ofthe end walls for supporting the panels by their inner corners in saidraised position, each panel being pivotally connected to the housing bymeans of links pivotally connected at their upper and lower ends to therespective side wall and the ears of the respective reinforcing members,whereby the panel may be moved laterally outward to clear its saidcorner supports and then swung downward to its said lowered position.

6. A. ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps, comprising an open-bottomedlamp housing having side and end walls, the latter having inwardlyflanged downwardly convergent dihedral lower edges, a pair oflight-diffusing panels carried by said housing for movement between araised position wherein they extend in dihedral relationship under thehousing closing its open bottom, and a lowered position extendinggenerally downward from the side walls of the housing, each panel havingreinforcing channels embracing its ends, said channels being providedwith ears extending upward from the upper sides of the panel, each panelalso having reinforcing strips extending the length of its edge which isinnermost when the panel is in raised position, panel corner supportscomprising channel-shaped members adjacent the apexes oi the end wallswhich open laterally outward receiving the inner corners of said panelsin their raised position, each panel being pivotally connected to thehousing by means of double-acting hinge members detach- REFERENCES CITEDThe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,345 Wakefield Nov. 16, 19151,283,162 Guth Oct. 29, 1918 2,330,507 McCabe Sept. 28, 1943 2,335,736Campen Nov. 30, 1943 2,335,737 Campen Nov. 30, 1943 Maurette Dec. 12,1944'

